Manchester United have had no shortage of deflating nights this season – and this was another one.
A 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, sealed courtesy of Kingsley Coman’s second-half goal, helped bundle United out of the Champions League and under-pressure manager Erik ten Hag does not even have the consolation prize of Europa League football as his team finished bottom of their group.
| Pos | Team | GP | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bayern Munich (Q) | 6 | 6 | 16 |
2 | Copenhagen (Q) | 6 | 0 | 8 |
3 | Galatasaray | 6 | -3 | 5 |
4 | Manchester United | 6 | -3 | 4 |
It was a game of few chances where United seemed gripped by nerves while Bayern were largely happy to stay in second gear, having already secured their passage into the knockout round.
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But the Germans always looked capable of upping the tempo when they needed to and a slick 70th-minute move which ended with Harry Kane flicking the ball through to Coman to finish ultimately proved the killer blow – although with Copenhagen beating Galatasaray, United’s result was ultimately rendered meaningless anyway.
These are the big talking points from Old Trafford.
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Why did Ten Hag not throw caution to the wind?
The odds were stacked against Manchester United going into the game – up against a Bayern Munich side on a run of 39 Champions League group stage matches unbeaten and needing a draw from Galatasaray’s trip to Copenhagen. But still, it was stark how Ten Hag’s team went out of the competition with a whimper.
Sadly, United’s performance lacked any of the bedlam of their previous matches in this group. They were fairly resolute in defensive aspects, coughing up minimal chances, but despite needing a win they lacked any threat in attack.
Erik ten Hag’s side never really threatened Bayern (Peter Powell/AFP via Getty Images)Luke Shaw had United’s only shot on target and that was a speculative, if well-hit, strike from outside the box that Manuel Neuer comfortably palmed over. Bruno Fernandes lashed at their best chance from a cutback by Aaron Wan-Bissaka early in the second half.
Rasmus Hojlund toiled up front but had nearly no impact, was starved of service, and was easily contained by Kim Min-jae when he did gain possession. Hojlund touched the ball only 18 times.
Ten Hag had remarkably few ways to change the game from the bench, which had players with a combined 10 career goals for United. Jonny Evans accounted for seven of those from his first spell.
Wan-Bissaka has two goals to his name and Hannibal, who arrived in the 73rd minute, the other. Facundo Pellistri was also sent on and had some spark but no end product.
Ten Hag tried to roll the dice with 10 minutes left, sending on Kobbie Mainoo for Raphael Varane and going three at the back, but the cries of “attack, attack, attack, attack, attack” from the Stretford End went unanswered.
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Laurie Whitwell
How damaging will Maguire and Shaw injuries prove?
United were already stretched for personnel but their task got even harder by half-time when Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw went off with injuries.
Maguire tried to play on after tweaking his groin while running down the wing but had to signal to come off as soon as he re-entered the field. It is a sign of his redemption that an anxious noise spread around Old Trafford when he originally went down and he was applauded to the touchline in the 40th minute.
He had once again played well, his best moment coming when he denied Leon Goretzka by getting a glancing header to Coman’s cross.
Evans was sent on in Maguire’s place. Ten Hag will again be thankful Darren Fletcher recommended Evans be allowed to train with United in the summer to keep fit as a free agent. Evans, 35, has been more useful than anybody could have predicted.
Maguire was forced off in the first half (Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)By that stage, Shaw was holding his hamstring and after the interval was over, he also did not re-emerge. Instead, Wan-Bissaka came on and Diogo Dalot switched to left-back. The balance Shaw offered was gone, but Wan-Bissaka made an impact, setting up a great chance for Fernandes soon into the second half.
Ten Hag will hope at least one of Maguire or Shaw can recover in time for Liverpool on Sunday – the manager confirmed after the final whistle that he would await scans over the next 24 hours to confirm the extent of their injuries.
Luke Shaw came off at half-time (Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial both missed the Bayern game through illness, with neither having trained on Monday.
Rashford had been poorly at training on Friday, prompting medical staff to send him home, and though he roused himself to appear off the bench against Bournemouth, he was unable to shake off the symptoms.
Ten Hag has all sorts of problems to deal with at United just now: he really cannot afford yet more issues with player fitness.
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Laurie Whitwell
Why has Varane not been playing sooner?
It says everything about the current state of affairs at United that it was surprising to see a four-time Champions League winner selected for a game of this importance rather than left among the substitutes.
Ten Hag explained Varane’s return to the starting line-up by saying United needed “strong defending”. It is a shame that it took 18 goals conceded in the 10 games since the World Cup winner’s last start to come to that conclusion.
Varane has been left out due to Maguire’s form and Ten Hag’s desire for a natural left-sided defender, but the United manager could be accused of not seeing the wood for the trees on that count — focusing on his defenders’ passing angles in build-up rather than their ability to stop the opposition from scoring.
Varane was back in the Manchester United starting XI (Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)Varane and Maguire have somehow only started 17 times together in their two-and-a-half years at Old Trafford and only lost twice. This partnership’s 18th appearance kept a 40-minute clean sheet until it was cut short by Maguire’s injury, which likely means there will be no 19th at Anfield on Sunday.
Instead, Varane will likely line up alongside Evans and though neither were particularly at fault for Bayern’s breakthrough, Kane and Coman combined to play past the two of them for that decisive goal.
But for the most part, this was evidence that United’s defence is better with Varane in it. This could be the start of him coming back in from the cold and not a moment too soon.
Mark Critchley
What did Ten Hag say?
Ten Hag praised United’s defensive performance against Bayern but admitted his team’s elimination from the Champions League had been sealed earlier in the campaign.
“We didn’t lose it today, that’s clear,” he told TNT Sports. “We had some good performances but we made some mistakes, individual errors from players, and in the end that’s not good enough. Today, it was very good and we didn’t deserve to lose but we lost.
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“The team did very good. We were very good in defending, in the pressing, we had many ball regains, especially at the start of the second half, but we didn’t take enough benefit from it. We played a strong side, Bayern is a good team and they have individual class to use one moment. Unfortunately, that happened.
“We want to be more consistent. I have to improve the team and the team’s progress and the players have to take responsibility.”
Ten Hag also admitted he struggled to change the game from an attacking perspective, with his squad ravaged by injuries and illness.
“The players gave everything, you saw the spirit,” he said. “I have to credit the team for the way they worked together as a team against this good Bayern side. But of course, when the game is going, you need energy from the bench and especially in the front line, the options were limited.”
What next for Manchester United?
Sunday, December 17: Liverpool (A), Premier League, 4.30pm GMT, 11.30am ET
There is little respite for Ten Hag’s men at the moment. In five days, they face another daunting fixture, against Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s men are top of the league and will be hopeful of inflicting another damaging Premier League defeat on United.
Liverpool have won four of the last five matches between these fierce rivals, including winning 7-0 at Anfield last season.
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(Top photo: Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images))
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